Articles
Ideas and practical notes for keeping stock in order, whatever you look after.
Types of barcodes explained: 1D vs 2D and which standard to use for inventory
Types of barcodes explained: EAN, UPC, Code 128, Code 39, ITF-14, QR Code, Data Matrix, PDF417 and Aztec, and which standard to pick for inventory labels.
How to make barcodes for a small business: internal labels vs. retail barcodes
How to make barcodes for a small business: when you need a registered retail barcode, when your own QR labels are enough, and how to set up either one.
Why Excel won't work for inventory management (and when it still does)
Excel is where most inventory tracking starts, and where it quietly breaks once a team shares it. The seven limits of spreadsheet inventory, and how to move on.
Free inventory management software: how to choose one, and what free plans leave out
How to choose free inventory management software: the criteria that matter, the limits free plans hide, and how to test an app before your team relies on it.
Inventory handover: how to pass on stock management without mistakes
Handing over inventory at a shift change, a role change or when someone leaves? Avoid the common handover mistakes with a checklist that keeps stock on track.
Short-staffed? How to manage inventory with a small team
Running stock control with fewer people? Share the numbers, record changes where they happen, and count smarter to cut stocktake time without adding staff.
iPad inventory management: when a tablet beats a phone or a PC
Is an iPad inventory app right for your team? When a tablet beats a phone or a desk computer for stock counts, receiving and shared stock control.
How to organize office equipment and supplies (and keep it organized)
Workplace organization tips that last: give every item a fixed home, zone and label storage, clear what you don't need, and keep the supply cupboard tidy.
What is property inventory management? How to keep track of the equipment and assets you own
Property inventory management means knowing what equipment you own, where it is and what state it is in. How to build an asset register your team keeps current.
How to reduce inventory costs: where the money actually leaks
Inventory costs rarely come from one big mistake. See how overstock, stockouts, duplicate purchases and searching time drain money, and how to stop each leak.
Restaurant inventory management: a simple system your kitchen will keep up
Restaurant inventory management that survives a busy week: par levels, first in, first out, a short stocktake routine and less food waste.
Seasonal inventory: how to stock up for peak season without leftover surplus
A practical guide to seasonal inventory: when to build stock before a peak, how much to hold, and how to wind down so you are not left with surplus.
How to simplify inventory management so anyone on your team can do it
Simplify inventory management by tracking less, giving every item one home, making each update a single step and sharing live stock numbers with the team.
Stock count sheet: what to include and how to run a count with it
What a stock count sheet should contain, the columns worth keeping, and how to run a calm, accurate stocktake with it on paper, in a spreadsheet or in an app.
How to track inventory for free: 5 methods and a setup that works with any of them
Five free ways to track inventory, from pen and paper to a free app, plus a simple setup for items, units, locations, counts and reorder points.